​The man widely regarded as England’s oldest former international footballer has praised the Three Lions for their performances so far in the 2026 World Cup. Frank Blunstone, now 91, earned five caps for England in the 1950s after beginning his career at Crewe Alexandra at the age of 16. He moved to Chelsea two years later, where he made 365 appearances and scored 59 goals before injuries forced him to retire at 29.
Although he admitted he hasn’t watched much of the 2026 tournament—his bedtime is 20:30 BST—Blunstone told BBC Radio Stoke that England had “done very well” so far, despite a couple of challenging fixtures. When asked how he thought they would fare against Norway on Saturday, he acknowledged the difficulty: “It’s not an easy game. A lot of teams now, they come out, make sure they don’t lose—that’s their first priority. It’s hard to break down; that’s why you get 1-0s, 2-1s, 1-0 wins with late goals. They won’t attack from the word go.”
Blunstone, born in Crewe, Cheshire, criticized the tactic of opponents’ “11 behind the ball,” which he felt could make modern football boring. He also questioned hydration breaks, recalling the heat he faced as a player. “I remember playing for England in Portugal on a Sunday afternoon. It kicked off at 15:00, absolutely steaming hot. We lost 2-0 and were having cold showers before the game to try to cool down. We had to play in it; we didn’t get any breaks.”
The left winger had been called up to England just days before they were due to face Wales in 1954 because Nat Lofthouse was injured. On pulling on the England shirt for the first time, Blunstone described the moment as “fantastic. It’s something you dream of. I never thought I’d play for England.”
Blunstone recalled sharing the field with legends such as Sir Stanley Matthews and Jimmy Greaves, whom he described as “world-class” footballers. He believes that modern players like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham would have “definitely” fit into his England side from the past, saying, “Oh definitely, absolutely. Any striker would have fitted in.” He added that he was fortunate to have played alongside the great Greaves, calling him “absolutely fantastic” and noting that today’s players possess the natural talent required to score goals.
Beyond his playing days, Blunstone pursued coaching roles at Brentford and abroad in Greece. He now serves as the president of Nantwich Town FC in Cheshire and frequently attends matches to offer his support. “I was in football all my life,” he said. “To get paid for doing something you really enjoy is fantastic.”
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